Huskers Put in Valiant Effort at No. 2 Michigan

Lincoln -Nebraska battled No. 2 Michigan for nearly all of 40 minutes, but the Wolverines pulled away down the stretch for a 62-47 victory Wednesday night.

Ray Gallegos led all scorers with 19 points for the Huskers, including four 3-pointers, but All-American Trey Burke's 18 points led four Michigan players in double figures as the Wolverines remained unbeaten.

Nebraska (9-7, 0-3 Big Ten) held the Wolverines to a season-low 38.9 percent shooting in holding Michigan 20 points below its season average in another strong defensive effort.

Michigan, which averaged 94.5 points in its first two Big Ten wins, was held to a season-low scoring output, but used strong rebounding to ward off a pesky Husker team. Michigan (16-0, 3-0 Big Ten) had a 47-30 advantage on the boards and held Nebraska to 33.9 percent shooting.

In addition to Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Glenn Robinson III and Nik Stauskas added 14 and 13 points, respectively, for the victors.

Nebraska played one of its best halves of basketball defensively in the first 20 minutes, holding Michigan to 32.3 percent shooting In trailing 25-20 at the break. Freshman Shavon Shields led Nebraska with six points and five rebounds, as Nebraska stood toe-to-toe with the nation's second-ranked team.

The teams traded the lead in the early going, as Nebraska erased a 7-4 deficit with baskets from Shields and David Rivers. The Huskers led 12-11 after a Brandon Ubel jumper, capped a string of four baskets in five shots for the Huskers.

Michigan ran off seven straight points to take an 18-12 lead after a Burke 3-pointer, but Nebraska responded, as a Talley 3-pointer using an 8-3 spurt that pulled Nebraska within 21-20 after a Shields layup with 4:09 left. Michigan got baskets from Hardaway and Robinson to push the lead back to five points at the break.

In the second half, the Nebraska quickly fell behind 30-23, but the Huskers chipped away, as a 3-pointer from Gallegos and basket from Talley put the Huskers within 31-28, but Michigan would respond moments later as a 3-pointer from Stauskas off a loose ball and a Burke basket pushed the lead back to eight, at 36-28.

Nebraska would continue to hang around on the hot shooting of Gallegos, who scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half, and Dylan Talley, who added 12 points and five rebounds for the Huskers. Nebraska trimmed a nine-point deficit to 47-25 after a Gallegos' 3-pointer with 7:12 left, but would get no closer as baskets by Robinson and Mitch McGary put the Michigan lead back to double digits.

The Huskers would make one last effort, pulling to within 55-47 after a conventional 3-point play from Gallegos, but the Wolverines scored the last seven points for the final margin.

The Huskers continue their two-game road swing on Sunday, Jan. 13, when they travel to No. 22 Michigan State. Tipoff is at 5 p.m. (central) and will televised on BTN and carried on the Husker Sports Network.

Postgame Notes*-Nebraska held Michigan to a season-low 62 points, 20 points below their season average. Prior to tonight, only two teams had held Michigan to under 80 points (Pittsburgh and Binghamton both held Michigan to 67). In conference play, the Wolverines were averaging 94.5 ppg.*-Nebraska has now held two of its thee Big Ten opponents to season lows after holding Wisconsin to 47 points on Sunday. *-Nebraska has now held five teams to their lowest offensive totals of the season, including nationally ranked Creighton and Michigan. *-Ray Gallegos reached double figures the sixth straight game with a game-high 19 points. It is the longest stretch of consecutive games in double figures for Gallegos (previous high was five earlier this season)*-Gallegos' 16 3-point attempts are a career high and school record, breaking the mark of 15 against Ohio State on Jan. 2*-Gallegos' four 3-pointers at Michigan marked the seventh time this season that he has had at least four 3-pointers in a game.*-Gallegos played all 40 minutes against Michigan and has now played 129:56 consecutive minutes dating back to Dec. 29. Gallegos has played every minute of Big Ten action so far. *-Brandon Ubel grabbed 10 or more rebounds for the fourth time this season and the fifth time in his career, as he finished with 10 caroms against Michigan. He is averaging 9.0 rebounds per game over the last two games.*-Nebraska committed a season-low five turnovers against the Wolverines, the fewest by a Husker team since a school-record three turnovers against Baylor on Feb. 10, 2010. It marked the second straight game and seventh time this season the Nebraska has committed 10 or less turnovers.*-Nebraska falls to 1-7 this season when shooting less than 40 percent. *-Nebraska falls to 2-6 this year when less than three players reach double figures